CANADA MUST STICK TO ITS OWN DRUG POLICIES

Re: U.S. Study Declares Canada Drug Haven, Windsor Star, March 15. Canadians
should be incensed that the U.S. government is pointing fingers at us and
other countries to impart blame for their drug problems.

The spread of disease, death, violence and organized crime is a
consequence of prohibitionist drug policies that the U.S. government
originally strong-armed other countries into adopting.

And while they unilaterally ignore other international treaties, the
U.S. is first to bleat that drug-control treaties prevent sovereign
nations such as Canada from moving towards saner drug policies to
protect public health and safety.

Mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes have contributed to the
world's largest prison population in the so-called "land of the free"
to the south.

Please, Prime Minister Harper, show some leadership and don't be led
farther down the ideological path of failed drug policies.

Gillian Maxwell

Chair, Keeping the Door Open: Dialogues on Drug Use

Vancouver, B.C.